The Written Word
by Victoria LeRoux
Summary: Everyone thought that Teddy was well over the death of his parents. However, some of his old school things- an essay on werewolves, letters to his long dead parents, show that he's not. Formerly An Essay on Werewolves by Teddy Lupin, Third Year.
1. An Essay on Werewolves, Third Year

An Essay on Werewolves  
By Teddy Lupin  
Third Year  
Prof. Greengage, on a Lecture by Head Auror Harry J. Potter 

Werewolves

One of the most feared creatures of the Wizarding World is a werewolf. They are classified as _Dark Creatures, _under section a. of Half-Breed Beasts. They are feared by most wizards, because it takes one bite from a werewolf to change a witch, wizard, or even a muggle into a werewolf. There is very little reason for this fear, because twenty-eight out of twenty-nine days, a werewolf is completely human. They are as harmless as any witch or wizard can be, even if they do like their meat rare.

A werewolf can be identified easily on the night of a full moon. However, they can usually be picked out of a crowd the rest of a month. The werewolf usually has a tired or sickly appearance near the full moon, and even during the rest of the month they often have a tired appearance.

Werewolves are often discriminated against and they don't often have jobs. Most werewolves are very poor, because of prejudice against them so they cannot receive jobs. Because of this, they are usually poor and forced to rely on their families and friends for help. However, recent legislature in the Ministry of Magic in England has been vocal on werewolf rights.

The reason why many people are against werewolves is because of one of the most famous werewolves in history- Fenir Grayback. He was responsible for turning hundreds of innocent children and ruining their lives. He often would change a defenseless child because of something against their parents, kidnap them, and try to brainwash them to follow Voldemort. However, a few werewolves escaped this, and tried to live normal lives, despite the bastards that tried to prevent this.

One of the most famous werewolves against Voldemort and the Death Eaters is Remus Lupin, who attended Hogwarts. He was bitten when he was five or six, and he tried to do what was right. Today, he is one of the reasons why werewolf rights are being pressed. It clearly shows that in order to gain rights for your kind, all you have to do is sacrifice yourself and your wife in a battle to save the school, which will then allow for others to wonder if werewolves aren't that bad. After that, despite you leaving your one-year-old child as an orphan and without family, there will still be reporters who claim the whole things was a scam for sympathy. (**Professor's Note: Teddy, I would work on the phrasing. This is an essay, not a paper based on Werewolves in the Battle for Hogwarts**)

Clearly, werewolves are misjudged by wizards. In the book, _Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them, _Newt Scamander tells the readers, "_Once a month, at the full moon, the otherwise sane and normal wizard or Muggle afflicted transforms into a murderous beast." _(page 42) However, this article is incorrect. Werewolves actually have begun to regain control of the werewolf during the full moon because of the researched Wolfsbane potion. Most werewolves find some way to prevent biting other people. Some lock themselves in basements, where as a harmless wolf, they sleep for the entity of the night, while others often play with Animagus. A werewolf presents no harm to an animagus in animal form, and they present no danger to normal animals either.

Obviously werewolves are misunderstood. Hopefully in the future close-minded former Ministers of Magic and their undersecretaries will not spread propaganda about them. They should be accepted as a part of society, and allowed to freely mingle like former Death Eaters are. After all, if we can stand pureblooded maniacs torturing Muggles and allow them to still hold important jobs, we should allow werewolves, who were forced into that role, live freely instead of having to register. I also believe that werewolves should _not_ have to sacrifice themselves and leave their children alone in order to prove that they are loyal, hard workers, brave, and willing to stand up for what is right unlike many other witches and wizards today.

**Professor's Notes on the Overall Essay, reason for grading, and final grade:**

_Teddy, this was supposed to be an impartial essay, not a rant that should be shown to the Werewolf Registry and Werewolf Capture units under the Beast Division in the Ministry. However, due to special circumstances you will receive a passing grade because you obviously showed… plenty of thought on the subject. I will recommend to Professor Greengage that you receive an Acceptable or Exceeds Expectations. However, if I were not grading, you would receive just over a Dreadful or Poor on this, so kindly work on the phrasing. Have you considered being a speaker for werewolf rights?_

_Also, Teddy, I would work on avoiding topics that are still experimental. As you may be aware, not all werewolves have access to the Wolfsbane Potion, and a few do purposefully hunt humans. Next time, please give us more information on both sides of the story. However, you did very well, considering it was a sensitive topic. And extra points for the reference to a well known book!_

_Oh, and Teddy? While Fudge and Umbridge did a poor job handling Ministry affairs, that doesn't mean you can call them bastards in class and get away with it. I swear, you are acting more like your mother and her cousin every day. And yes, I mean it when I say stop taking a leaf out of Sirius' book. You've already had seven detentions this year, and I don't want you to call Slughorn an arse to his face again._

_Guest Lecturer Harry J. Potter, Head Auror, Merlin First Class, Hogwarts Alumni_

_p.s. Ted, are you coming to spend Christmas break with us? We want to hear about how Victoire's first year was.  
p.p.s. Ginny and Lily miss you, and James won't stop talking about you visiting. Send an owl to us sometimes, okay?_


	2. Dear Dad, Fifth Year

_A Letter from Teddy, age 15, to his father._

_Dear Dad,_

Harry told me what you almost did to Mum today. How you tried to desert her in the middle of a war because she was going to give birth to me.

I wasn't sure what to think or feel.

Was I supposed to feel angry? Unwanted? Abandoned? Instead, I just felt sad.

You were supposed to love her, weren't you? Yet, you left her because she loved you. Yeah, a true martyr.

And... you left me too?

It wasn't a true surprise to me, but a disappointment. I've grown up hearing stories about you and Mum- your bravery, her humor, your loyalty, her faith. Yet, it seems almost as though she was all of those, and you none. She would have stayed by you until the end- and she did, at the Battle for Hogwarts- but you would have left her and me, barely looking back. All because you're a damn werewolf.

I hope that when I get up the courage to talk to Victoire, I won't be the same way. If she feels the same way about me, I'd never throw her to the wolves- no pun intended.

_Never._

How was I supposed to act to Harry? Lash out at him? Instead, I ran, to the spot near the trees outside the Weasley house. I'm sure you remember that? Aunt Ginny told me with a laugh how Mum nearly fell in the pond when you were engaged. You caught her, but fell in yourself.

I've heard so many good things about you, but hearing this...

I feel like a thirteen year old, facing the world for the first time.

I wish you were here, even after all this.

I wish you didn't die.

I wish I could have met you and remembered that meeting, instead of seeing other's memories of you in a Pensieve.

But it's selfish of me to think this way, isn't it? I could live like Harry did, with the Dursley's, with a lily-clad view of how you two must have been, but I don't know. Things have been hard lately. I've gotten over the werewolf-cub insults, but it still hurts to see the notes passed in class demeaning you.

If I had been raised without being Harry's godchild, how would life had been? How is life for the other cubs left behind by parents, werewolf or Death Eater, having the burden of being orphaned and outcasted?

I've come to a conclusion- dead heroes do nothing but leave families behind.

Love,  
Your Son,  
Teddy


End file.
